Horns Rebounding From Injury, Tech Disappointment

Bill Frisbie

11/27/2002

The bye-week between the Texas Tech and Texas A&M games provided ample healing time for the Longhorns' banged up defensive unit, CB <B>Nathan Vasher </b>said Tuesday. Now, the only thing more therapeutic would be a win over the Aggies.

Vasher's injury severely limited his play against the Red Raiders and ultimately sidelined him in a game where RDE Kalen Thornton(ankle) and DT Marcus Tubbs(calf) did not play, DT Rodrique Wrightexited after a handful of snaps and WLB Derrick Johnson (hamstring) was injured late in the game.

Thornton, Tubbs and Johnson are listed as "probable" for Friday's 11 a.m. kick-off. LG Tillman Holloway(ankle) also injured against Tech, is listed as "questionable." Special teams players Rufus Harris(leg) and Tien Van Nguyen (elbow) are the only UT players listed as "out".

"I'm ready to play," Vasher said Tuesday, adding that he thinks he is "100 percent" after re-aggravating an ankle injury on a punt return against Texas Tech. "I felt like our team needed it (bye week) at the time. Everybody is coming out this week and everybody has a really good attitude about what we're trying to do and the motivation for this weekend."

Texas has shown a remarkable resiliency in bouncing back from losses in recent years, and has not lost consecutive games since the end of the 1999 season.

"When all of us come together to be positive about something that's negative, the worst thing you can do is to let that one setback hold you back twice," Vasher added. "That's something we pride ourselves on."